May Knowledge Grow in our Hearts:

Transcription

1 May Knowledge Grow in our Hearts: Applying Spiritual Principles to Development Practice The Case of Seva Mandir Institute For Studies In Global Prosperity Occasional Papers on Insight and Practice: 2

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3 May Knowledge Grow in our Hearts: Applying Spiritual Principles to Development Practice The Case of Seva Mandir Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity, Inc. Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved

4 We need a new language that opens the door of understanding; not a language of power and domination, but a language that emerges from the depth of our self-discovery, of discovering ourselves as an inseparable part of a whole that is the cradle of the miracle of life. If we manage to provoke such a shift, we may still experience the satisfaction of having brought about a new century worth living in. Manfred Max-Neef

5 Introduction Through the following study, the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity hopes to contribute to the worldwide discourse on social and economic development some of the insights it has gained into the nature of development work that is cognizant of both the spiritual and material dimensions of reality. The case described here, though of one organization, Seva Mandir * (Temple of Service), an organization working primarily with the rural and tribal communities in Rajasthan, India, is representative of the thousands of efforts that draw on spiritual principles and scientific methods to bring about social transformation. In its attempts to describe, from the perspective of Seva Mandir staff, the nature of the work that they undertake and the challenges they face, this document discusses the meaning and implications of working for the common good, a goal that is present in Seva Mandir programs in areas such as forestry, health, and education. Particularly, it tries to capture the way those who * For more information about Seva Mandir, see Appendix III. 1

6 Introduction work for the organization apply the concept of interconnectedness to all of their activities. The interconnectedness of all things, a principle that transcends the physical and visible relationships that exist among phenomena and includes a spiritual connection, can be considered the organizing principle around which all Seva Mandir activities revolve. The Institute s ultimate aspiration in preparing this document is to contribute to the efforts made by individuals, groups and organizations around the world to engender a new consciousness of how science and religion can work together to create a more humane and just world. A Discourse on Science, Religion and Development This study was carried out in the context of a growing body of knowledge related to development that emphasizes the positive effects that spiritual values, derived from religion, have on efforts dedicated to the empowerment of a population to act as the main protagonist of its own progress. Despite the skepticism of those researchers and planners who may oppose the incorporation of religious values in the development paradigm, there is consensus among many theoreticians and practitioners that if the field of development continues to ignore the spiritual dimension of the human being and the cultural, transcendental and religious aspects of peoples and societies, it will fail to bring prosperity to humankind. Efforts made during the past years by the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity to introduce to the broad discourse on development a stream of thought and practice that promotes a spiritual perspective on the advancement of civilization have been inspired by the work of like-minded institutions, for example, The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Canada. One particular study published by this organization, The 2

7 Lab, the Temple, and the Market: Reflections at the Intersection of Science, Religion and Development, that brings together the views of scientists from four different systems of religious belief (Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and the Bahá í Faith) on issues related to development, has provided a major part of the theoretical background for the Institute s efforts in the promotion of a discourse on science, religion and development. Introduction The present publication expands on ideas presented in The Lab, the Temple, and the Market and two additional documents prepared by the Institute. The first is a concept paper titled Science, Religion and Development: Some Initial Considerations and the second Science, Religion and Development: Some Aims and Challenges (hereafter referred to as the Aims and Challenges document). In the first document the Institute brings together the results of a yearlong conversation with development thinkers and practitioners in India on the state of development thought and practice. The ideas and principles expressed in this document have animated the discourse on science, religion and development that the Institute has promoted in several countries during the past few years. The second document was prepared in response to the expressed wish of a number of the organizations involved in the discourse in India to better articulate their own experiences in applying spiritual principles to their daily work. It consists of five statements, which assisted the participating organizations to describe how they draw upon spiritual principles and employ scientific methods in their work and to reflect on a few of their common aims as well as some of the challenges that they regularly face in putting their ideals into action. This paper is an account of the reflections of Seva Mandir staff in response to the questions posed in the Aims and Challenges 3

8 Introduction document *. The study was carried out over a period of five weeks during November and December 2009 and involved a series of reflection meetings conducted by two facilitators from the Institute with staff and collaborators of Seva Mandir from various levels of the organization. In these meetings the Aims and Challenges document was studied and the questions posed in it were used to stimulate discussion and reflection. Below is a summary of the five statements: Science, Religion and Development: Some Aims and Challenges The first statement in the Aims and Challenges document refers to the oneness of mankind both as a spiritual principle and as one of the major aims of social and economic development. It mentions some of the challenges that organizations face as they design and implement programs that, though inspired by this principle, also strive to strengthen the will of the people to struggle to transform their own environment. Participants reflecting on this statement are thus encouraged to explore the apparent contradictions between creating unity and struggling for bringing about change. They are then asked to examine the way they incorporate in their own programs principles such as reciprocity, cooperation and interconnectedness, and to reflect on the direction they give to the struggles in which they accompany the people with whom they work. The second statement addresses the question of individual transformation and structural change. It questions two prevalent ideologies of social change that social transformation is a mere outcome of the upgrading of the individual and that no change is possible unless social structures, mainly those related to matters of political power, are first changed. The statement proposes * For a full version of this document, see Appendix II. 4

9 that lasting change can only result from simultaneous efforts to transform both the individual and society. To gain insights into how Seva Mandir addresses this question, staff and collaborators were asked to examine their activities and programs in terms of the changes they promote at the level of the individual and the way they affect structural change in their areas of influence. Introduction Knowledge is the main theme of the third statement of the document. Many development organizations recognize that the generation and application of knowledge, rather than economic activity, is the central process of social existence. Development is not viewed as the mere delivery of goods and services to the disadvantaged, but as the process that enables the people of the world, the major protagonists of change, to acquire knowledge and to apply it to the shaping of their own affairs. After reading this statement, participants are asked to discuss how their organization strives to bring knowledge to bear on the problems of the populations it serves. The fourth statement focuses on a conception of the human being which reflects both a material nature, inherited from millions of years of physical evolution, and a spiritual one that has gradually made it possible for human beings to rise above the exigencies of animal existence and mere physical survival. The assertion that development theory and practice must give urgent attention to the spiritual dimension of human existence arises from such an understanding of human nature, and this statement invites participants to reflect on how this conception informs their work. As an enterprise that is envisioned to bring prosperity to the entire human race, development is often concerned with processes that lead to the generation and distribution of wealth. This concept, however, has been treated contradictorily in every period of social 5

10 Introduction evolution. Some ideologies have conceived of wealth as the corrupter of the human soul while others have venerated it as the ultimate dispenser of happiness. The fifth and final statement in the Aims and Challenges document suggests that the concept of wealth needs to be re-examined in the context of a development process that contributes to the spiritual and material advancement of the human race. In this regard, participants are invited to discuss how their organization s programs strive to meet the following conditions, which, based on spiritual principles, make the acquisition of personal wealth acceptable: Wealth must be earned through honest work, physical or intellectual, and its acquisition by the individual must not be the cause, no matter how indirectly, of the impoverishment of others. Moreover, the legitimacy of material possessions depends equally on how they are earned and how they are used. One should enjoy the fruits of one s labors and expend one s wealth not only for the good of one s family but also for the welfare of society. The nature of the responses Before presenting the results of the discussions with Seva Mandir staff, a few words have to be said about the nature of the language being used here to analyze these responses. Clearly, the language used by the staff to describe their work did not correspond directly with the language used in the documents presented by the Institute. Different people used different words to describe the very deep and complex issues that were being discussed in the meetings. Moreover, no attempt was made in such conversations to define precisely the terms that were being used. Some felt more comfortable with words that have less religious connotations and preferred to refer to terms such as ethical, human, and social to describe the concepts that were being discussed. Others were more at ease with religious terminology. Those in the Institute 6

11 who analyzed the responses had to try to penetrate the meaning that each participant was trying to convey and understand it in the context of the kind of activity they were describing. What follows, then, is the Institute s understanding of these conversations in a language that it feels conveys in a consistent way the ideas that were discussed. Introduction 7

12 Spiritual principles for a better society W here there is the darkness of ignorance, it is there that Seva Mandir should reach out. This phrase uttered by Mr. Mohan S. Mehta, founder of Seva Mandir, echoes loudly in the minds of many of his organization s staff. One member of a Seva Mandir village development committee explained that this phrase paired with Seva Mandir s slogan Service, devotion, revolution captures the organization s philosophy well. We want our children to receive education, to have a green forest, to live with truthfulness, love and unity. We want to advance. This is our purpose, he explained. Love, unity and truthfulness featured prominently among the spiritual values to which Seva Mandir staff and collaborators frequently referred throughout the conversations that were held at different moments and at different levels of the institution. Educating the younger generations was referred to as one of its goals; preserving the environment as another. For many of those who work at Seva Mandir, all of these aims are grouped together under one overarching purpose: learning to work for the common 8

13 good an aspiration that reflects the organization s perception of spiritual and material progress. To work for the common good, many emphasized, requires an awareness of the interconnectedness of all things, a principle that is present throughout all of creation. Seva Mandir staff and collaborators believe that their programs have gained their vision, direction, and impetus from the recognition of this spiritual principle. According to Mr. Mohan Singh Kothari, a long-standing collaborator and a member of its board of trustees, such consciousness reinforces and is in turn deepened by the actions people take for the common good: An awareness of interconnectedness generates motivation to work with others for the well-being of all, and every action taken in concert with others in turn expands and deepens this sense of interconnectedness. Spirituality, thus, is not conceived of merely in terms of the personal, but as an aspect of the human being that expresses itself in the love and concern people feel for one another. Spirituality has to do with collective well-being, not just individual well-being we try to bring this into society, said Mr. Hemraj Bhati, Seva Mandir s general secretary. Spiritual and material progress, then, are achieved when members of a community, convinced of the interconnectedness of creation, engage in action that transcends individual interest and benefits the whole. Spiritual principles for a better society In working with communities to define, protect, and preserve collective assets such as pasturelands and forests, Seva Mandir puts this vision of spirituality into action. Efforts in this area draw to the fore another dimension of interconnectedness the understanding that nature and human beings are part of a single, interconnected creation. Resources of nature are the property of all, a trust, according to Mr. Kothari, that the present generation holds for future generations: 9

14 Spiritual principles for a better society Spirituality says that all assets belong, depending on what language you are speaking, to God, or to the earth, Mother Earth, and they are not for exploitation or personal gain at the cost of the deterioration of those assets. There is a theme song of Seva Mandir: Sampurn srishti mandir manav. It means that we regard the whole creation as a temple. Now, in a temple, you don t desecrate it you don t misuse it or steal from it. Staff who participated in the meetings frequently made mention of love and empathy as two pivotal values in Seva Mandir s work. Ms. Neelima Khetan, the chief executive officer of the organization, referred to love as a fundamental element of Seva Mandir s approach to education. She used the example of balwadis preschool level educational centers promoted by the organization to illustrate this idea: If you boil it down, it s a relationship between a woman and small children. If you have love there, you can do anything, but if there is no love, little children will not come. You can give them toys, you can give them food, but if there is no love they will not come. Love is present in everything, but in the balwadi it is so apparent. It will not work and somehow in whatever we do, we have been able to invoke the love in the sanchalika (balwadi in-charge). Another staff member from Badgaon block provided a concrete example of how members of this committee try to show love and empathy even towards those who may at a given moment be harming the common good. If a person takes fodder from the common land before it is distributed, he mentioned, the village committee will meet with him and try to elevate his understand- 10

15 ing *. He emphasized that the committee will try to resolve the matter without using violence or force. He added that by showing love and by preserving unity in its problem-solving approaches, the committee sets an example of how frank and loving consultation can serve as a tool for solving problems. Some members of Seva Mandir staff referred to the connection that exists between Seva Mandir s understanding of love, empathy and interconnectedness and Mahatma Gandhi s philosophy and worldview. Ms. Khetan spoke of this connection in the following manner: Spiritual principles for a better society In terms of theory, one question is Where is the problem? If you theorize development in terms of the state has not done this, then it is the otherizing of the problem. That will lead to solutions of a different kind. But suppose your analysis is saying that maybe we are all part of the problem, then it is not that there is someone who is the exploiter and another person who is exploited There are no black or white categories. Maybe there was a time when you could lay blame maybe in the freedom struggle but even then, Gandhi resisted calling the British the enemy. So how do we today go and do it when there isn t even some [group like the] British to go and point fingers at? As illustrated by the above comments, Seva Mandir staff does not conceive of interconnectedness, love, and empathy as abstract ideas, but as aspects of human existence that are manifest in every-day human behavior. The application of spiritual principles * The fodder needs to grow for a certain amount of time before it is considered by the community to be ready for distribution. If people ignore the rules and the fodder is cut prematurely, it will not grow properly and the community will not be able to benefit as much as if the fodder had been allowed to grow to maturity. 11

16 to the practical aspects of life, however, requires the adoption of methods that are consistent with such principles. Spiritual principles for a better society 12

17 Building consensus through open and frank dialogue I n their comments, Seva Mandir staff and collaborators expressed the view that the means of social change need to be consistent with the ends. To express the spiritual reality of oneness in our social lives we need to adopt approaches that are unifying rather than divisive. According to Mr. Kothari, enduring social change can only be achieved through processes of consensus building. Consensus building requires people to feel empathy, he emphasized, drawing attention to the way that confrontation can obstruct efforts to bring about deeper changes in the hearts and minds of people: Throughout the history of all these spiritual people that we have heard about, or know about, he said, you will find cases from Christ to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa that when you see someone who is a wrongdoer, you don t hate him, you don t confront him; you change his heart, because these things require a change of heart and a change of heart cannot be brought about by these sudden revolutions. 13

18 Building consensus through open and frank dialogue In order for these ideas to become a reality rather than a mere enunciation of hope, certain methods are required. Pivotal among these is the employment of frank and open dialogue. This is no small feat in a social context in which one s age, gender, class, or caste usually determine whose opinion matters and whose voice is heard. The groups and committees that Seva Mandir creates at the level of the grassroots provide spaces in which many of these principles are enacted. It is in such spaces that consensus is built among those who participate in the organization s different programs. According to Mr. Kothari the sense of togetherness is intensified in people when they come together to discuss common issues, express their points of view openly, and advance in their collective understanding of these issues. As people express their opinions freely and listen to one another, they realize that the collective good does not contradict the interests of the individual. For people to talk to one another openly, they need to respect each other. The preservation of the dignity of the individual is thus one of the aims of the groups that are being formed by Seva Mandir. Empathy and respect must be expressed in people s speech and in the way they interact with one another. Regarding this matter, a member of the village development committee of Malaria said: When there is conflict among the committee members, even if it is with one person, then it will affect everyone else. So to prevent this, we are very careful about the way we speak to the villagers and to one another. We make sure to be considerate of each other s feelings. Ms. Khetan explained how Seva Mandir staff strive to maintain the dignity of people under all circumstances. Even if an individual or a department is behaving poorly in some way, she said, 14

19 rather than labeling the respective party as bad, the behavior itself is addressed. The following example given by her illustrates this point: Even when there were corruption cases in Seva Mandir, the way we have dealt with those involved has not been to demean them and show that they are thieves. I think that there has been a lot of effort put into trying to understand why this person deviated from the path. Why did they cheat or become corrupt? If we had to part ways, it has not been done in a vindictive way. We have not tried to get their money; it has been very civilized. Even after they ve gone, we ve sometimes taken them back when we felt that there was true remorse on that side. Building consensus through open and frank dialogue Seva Mandir has played a key role in creating the conditions for free and frank dialogue and an environment where everyone s opinions are heard. The organization has set guidelines regarding the way the committees and the self-help groups it creates operate, and it trains the members of these groups and committees and follows their progress. The following example provided by a staff member from Badgaon illustrates the role that Seva Mandir workers play in facilitating these group discussions: It happened that half of the people in one of the village development committees wanted to allocate money to build a community hall, and the other half didn t. But [the former] half didn t want to speak because they were afraid of breaking the unity of the committee. However, they discussed it and Seva Mandir played a facilitating role to enable frank discussion and to make sure that people s opinions were heard and consensus was reached. Finally they all decided to allocate 15

20 money from the village development fund to build the community hall. Building consensus through open and frank dialogue 16

21 Creating structures that reflect noble values To bring about change, Seva Mandir has chosen constructive work *. This includes developing the capacities of the people, said a staff member from the Natural Resource Development unit. Such constructive work, he further explained, involves encouraging people to come together, consult, and work in cooperation with one another. The progress of both the individual and society has always been the main objective of Seva Mandir. We do noble work, and noble work should be done in a noble manner. But to carry out noble work, structures that reflect noble values are needed. Good individuals will not accomplish much in society if they are obliged to work in institutions that do not reflect the values that they cherish. How can people work for justice through structures based on injustice? How can equality between men and women be established when the institutions of society are governed by norms that discriminate against women? To make sure that those who participate in its programs can pursue their * The concept of constructive work was developed by Mahatma Gandhi. It was based on the idea that the people themselves had to work for their own social, economic and moral development. 17

22 noble goals, Seva Mandir creates spaces at the level of the grassroots that are governed by norms such as justice, collaboration and cooperation: Creating structures that reflect noble values These kinds of platforms are created for people to come together. Nothing can be done in a vacuum. You can t just talk about this. You have to create a place where people can practice these qualities. (A staff member of the Women and Child Development unit) The constructive work aspect has helped people social transformation through constructive work. Doing something, seeing the benefit of that change, adding to your confidence, through that process also cleaning up whatever internal contradictions are there, and then demanding changes in the structure. (Neelima Khetan) In Seva Mandir, working together brings about a lot of conquering of the ego without any bombshells coming from anywhere. The same applies to groups the ego will be questioned and gets rectified automatically. (Mohan Singh Kothari) Spaces of this nature also provide all community members with the opportunity to participate in and benefit from the activities that are being organized. Seva Mandir s efforts to ensure inclusivity through universal participation are derived from the recognition of the principle of interconnectedness. Acting according to this principle implies ensuring that programs reach everyone, particularly the poorest members of the community. We try to reach where the government does not, said a staff member from Badgaon block. In cases where a family or an individual is extremely poor, the first opportunities are given to them, a member of a village development committee of Dulavaton ka Guda ex- 18

23 plained. Everyone sits together and prioritizes. We see who needs what, which household really needs more, who is younger, who is older. We make a plan to give benefits to the weaker ones first, offered another member of a committee from Malaria village. Ms. Swati Patel, in charge of the Women and Child Development unit at Seva Mandir, expanded more on the role that the village development committee plays in ensuring that all action is directed towards collective well-being. According to her, Seva Mandir has faced situations in which people have wanted to work only for their own self-interest or that of a small group of people. For instance, on one occasion a few prominent individuals working at the grassroots were asked to make bathrooms, wells, hand pumps, or cattle sheds which were expected to benefit everyone. Yet they made only a few of these items for their own benefits. We saw, she commented, that oftentimes people weren t able to see beyond their own self-interest or beyond that of a certain group of people. Most people could not tap into these benefits so we decided to form these village committees, most of which have about 12 members. Creating structures that reflect noble values According to its staff, the committees and groups fulfill several objectives for Seva Mandir. First, their existence at the level of the villages implies more opportunities for the participation of larger numbers of people. This means that new people in the villages have access to knowledge and resources that have traditionally been in the hands of a few. In addition to this, through their participation in these groups, people learn to work together in an environment of mutuality. Capacity is built at the level of the villages to assume greater responsibility for their own progress and to learn from experience. 19

24 Creating structures that reflect noble values Seva Mandir staff and collaborators described how these groups and committees serve as spaces where social issues are discussed, community needs are addressed, and plans for action are designed. Through their participation in these spaces more and more people come to take responsibility for the development of their villages. Village committees are responsible for providing leadership and managing a variety of local development activities including convening village meetings, monitoring and evaluating ongoing development work, paying village-level workers associated with Seva Mandir, and facilitating interaction with formal government bodies. Mr. Kamal Lal Ahari, a member of the village development committee of Madla, offered the following on this subject: Earlier the proposals for development would come from the government, but now with the help and training received from Seva Mandir, we are able to design our own development programs based on our needs and the requirements of the village and then we are able to propose these to the government, through the panchayat (village council, a government body) and gram sabha (village assembly). The village people themselves have made the village development committee; the entire community looks at the problems, consults on them, reflects on them and then takes the proposal to the government. A member of the village development committee of Dulavaton ka Guda village commented: Before we had a village development committee we used to only meet to discuss funerals and weddings. But now we 20

25 have a platform that enables us to meet every month and discuss a range of issues. Creating structures that reflect noble values 21

26 Adopting new attitudes T hose who participated in the reflection meetings for this study reiterated many times that the best and most appropriate social structures will not fulfill their purpose unless people are empowered, their vision and consciousness is raised, and they are enabled to possess the qualities, skills and intellectual capabilities that allow them to work for the common good. But what qualities and attitudes should people who wish to work for the betterment of society acquire? How are these qualities developed? There is a term manviya mulya for spiritual qualities or human values: truthfulness, dedication, sacrifice, responsibility, collective benefit, said Mr. Abhishek Jain, a staff member from Jhadol block. Ms. Lakshmi Thakur of the Women and Child Development unit, referred to another important aspect of the work. Training, and more training, she said. If you want to change the mindset of the people and bring about change without violence and conflict, you have to change their way of thinking. That can only be done through training. It is through these trainings, according to one of the members of a village development committee in 22

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